New Delhi:Steel plants in the public and private sector supplied 3,131.84 metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) to various states on April 25, as compared to 2,894 tonnes dispatched on the previous day, said the Ministry of Steel on Monday.
The Ministry also said that steel plants are willing to dip into their safety stock to make available more LMO. It also informed about the conversion of nitrogen and argon tankers to carry oxygen.
"A week earlier, on an average 1500 or 1700 metric tonnes per day was being dispatched. The production on April 25 was 3468.6 MT. Steel plants have been able to enhace the supply of LMO by taking various initiatives, which include reduction in the production of nitrogen and argon and only producing LMO in most plants," an official statement said.
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"The steel plants are normally required to keep 3.5 days of safety stock of LMO in their storage tanks which are vaporised and used in case some problem develops in the oxygen plants. Through continuous engagement with the steel producers, the safety stock has been reduced to 0.5 days instead of the earlier 3.5 days because of which LMO supply had significantly increased," it said.